Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou enuious against euill men, neither desire to be with them.
Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:
2 For their heart imagineth destruction, and their lippes speake mischiefe.
Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.
3 Through wisdome is an house builded, and with vnderstanding it is established.
By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.
4 And by knowledge shall the chambers bee filled with all precious, and pleasant riches.
By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.
5 A wise man is strong: for a man of vnderstanding encreaseth his strength.
A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.
6 For with counsel thou shalt enterprise thy warre, and in the multitude of them that can giue counsell, is health.
Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels.
7 Wisdome is hie to a foole: therefore he can not open his mouth in the gate.
Wisdom is too high for a fool, in the gate he shall not open his mouth.
8 Hee that imagineth to doe euill, men shall call him an autour of wickednes.
He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.
9 The wicked thought of a foole is sinne, and the scorner is an abomination vnto men.
The thought of a fool is sin: and the detracter is the abomination of men.
10 If thou bee faint in the day of aduersitie, thy strength is small.
If thou lose hope being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.
11 Deliuer them that are drawen to death: wilt thou not preserue them that are led to be slaine?
Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death forbear not to deliver.
12 If thou say, Beholde, we knew not of it: he that pondereth the heartes, doeth not hee vnderstand it? and hee that keepeth thy soule, knoweth he it not? will not he also recompense euery man according to his workes?
If thou say: I have not strength enough: he that seeth into the heart, he understandeth, and nothing deceiveth the keeper of thy soul, and he shall render to a man according to his works.
13 My sonne, eate hony, for it is good, and the hony combe, for it is sweete vnto thy mouth.
Fat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat:
14 So shall the knowledge of wisdome be vnto thy soule, if thou finde it, and there shall be an ende, and thine hope shall not be cut off.
So also is the doctrine of wisdom to thy soul: which when thou hast found, thou shalt have hope in the end, and thy hope shall not perish.
15 Laye no waite, O wicked man, against the house of the righteous, and spoyle not his resting place.
Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.
16 For a iust man falleth seuen times, and riseth againe: but the wicked fall into mischiefe.
For a just mall shall fall seven times and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.
17 Bee thou not glad when thine enemie falleth, and let not thine heart reioyce when hee stumbleth,
When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice:
18 Least the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turne his wrath from him.
Lest the Lord see, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Fret not thy selfe because of the malicious, neither be enuious at the wicked.
Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly:
20 For there shall bee none ende of plagues to the euill man: the light of the wicked shall bee put out.
For evil men have no hope of things to come, and the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21 My sonne feare the Lord, and the King, and meddle not with them that are sedicious.
My son, fear the Lord and the king: and have nothing to do with detracters.
22 For their destruction shall rise suddenly, and who knoweth the ruine of them both?
For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?
23 ALSO THESE THINGS PERTEINE TO THE WISE, It is not good to haue respect of any person in iudgement.
These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.
24 He that saith to the wicked, Thou art righteous, him shall the people curse, and the multitude shall abhorre him.
They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them.
25 But to them that rebuke him, shall be pleasure, and vpon them shall come the blessing of goodnesse.
They that rebuke him, shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them.
26 They shall kisse the lippes of him that answereth vpright wordes.
He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.
27 Prepare thy worke without, and make readie thy thinges in the fielde, and after, builde thine house.
Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.
28 Be not a witnes against thy neighbour without cause: for wilt thou deceiue with thy lippes?
Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips.
29 Say not, I wil doe to him, as he hath done to mee, I will recompence euery man according to his worke.
Say not: I will do to him as he hath done to me: I will render to every one according to his work.
30 I passed by the fielde of the slouthfull, and by the vineyarde of the man destitute of vnderstanding.
I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:
31 And lo, it was al growen ouer with thornes, and nettles had couered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken downe.
And behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down.
32 Then I behelde, and I considered it well: I looked vpon it, and receiued instruction.
Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction.
33 Yet a litle sleepe, a litle slumber, a litle folding of the handes to sleepe.
Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to rest:
34 So thy pouertie commeth as one that traueileth by the way, and thy necessitie like an armed man.
And poverty shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.
